


Just a Game

by Essi_Magwayen



Category: Buhay Kolehiyo, SSU, Sexy Sexy Universities
Genre: ADMU, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde, Fluff, M/M, Neo salle one shot, One Shot, Sports, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, UST, University of Sto. Tomas, University of the Philippines, csb, dlsu, hala we're actually making this a thing sa ao3??, mapua, omg i didn't realize my first ever fanfic would be about universities in the ph
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 09:20:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10716576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Essi_Magwayen/pseuds/Essi_Magwayen
Summary: Neo gets invited to a date by a certain archer, but he's not the biggest fan of the game.





	Just a Game

**Author's Note:**

> This is a bi-lingual fic; English/Filipino. So let your Filipino friend help you translate!
> 
> ALL CHARACTERS OWNED BY [SEXY SEXY UNIVERSITIES](https://www.facebook.com/sexysexyuniversities/) and their webcomics, BUHAY KOLEHIYO.
> 
> Check them out. They're awesome.
> 
> Salle is sometimes a fuccboi, except for Neo maybe. Neo is a sweet summer child but pakipot in a sense.  
> They're perf

_This is ridiculous_.

Are the words echoing in Neo’s head as he awkwardly waited, seating on one of the benches in the well-lit arena of _Mall of Asia_. In his predicament, Neo is currently a small, irrelevant contrast to the rest of the high spirits breathing through the stadium. The sea of audience rounding the arena is parted by two colors, green and blue; and he, is sitting at the borderline of the two. But even with this partition is the unison of barring noises of bass drums, snares and university chants, both sung at the same time in a loud and drowning arrhythmic chaos, both colors outdoing each other in hopes of gaining dominance of the crowd’s school spirit. To Neo, though, it was just unpleasant and pathetic, though he couldn’t deny he had discreetly wanted the crowd to his left to win over. And there to his left, was the sea of royal blue in which he found himself no stranger to… he did however, still seem to look a bit off with his light-blue, striped, collared, button-down shirt evidently contrasting the intensity of blue shirts, banners, balloons and face paint all referencing to his university. To his right was the same intense shade of green, but now with a touch of white all in the name of his university’s rival: DLSU.

With his back leaned away and burrows furrowed, he stared in curiosity at the aggressive chants of the people in green, standing and pushing a fist in the air, and he was reminded of why he was here in the first place. Neo took his attention away from the eyesore color of green to glance at his watch. He sighed and rolled his eyes, turning his head to the floor.

_Late again. As always. What’s new._

He thought to himself as he clicked his tongue, shaking his head—

And suddenly there was ruffling of carton, and a few pieces of popcorn falling in between his feet. He looked up to his right and found the tall man with black hair slicked back and thick eyebrows, wearing a jersey of the same intense shade of green as the rest of the crowd behind him. He was panting, with his forehead breaking sweat. Tucked in his arms were two bottles of water, two cartons of popcorn and on his face displayed an exaggeratedly confused expression as the man eyed Neo’s entirety.

     “What—” the man began, “—the fuck, are you wearing?”

Neo rolled his eyes as he stood up, and gave Salle a light jab on the shoulder, “Oh shut up. You told me to wear blue.” Heat rose to his cheeks as he glared at the other man, as if hadn’t already sat there for thirty minutes on his own, internally folding in his shame.

     “Oh not even close.” Salle bit back quickly, though his eyes lingered in amusement at finding Neo so unfittingly well-dressed.

     “It’s _light_ blue.” Neo sat down, training his eyes at the center of the stadium and crossed his arms.

     “It’s a fucking collared shirt.”

Neo glared back at him.

     “You’re wearing a collared shirt at a basketball game.” Salle continues as he sits next to him. “I mean it looks good though,” he muttered to himself at the same time Neo spoke, the compliment passing.

     “Yeah well—” Neo’s eyes searched for something to spite on at the other man’s attire. “— you’re wearing a jacket—” nudging his chin forward as if in triumph, “—in a very hot arena. Ridiculous.” He finished, closing his eyes.

     “ _Oo na_ , _oo na_ , I’m ridiculously hot.” He answered casually with a smile in his tone, watching Neo’s reaction.

Neo opened his eyes wide and opened his mouth in protest, “That’s not what I meant, I—” but before he could finish, Salle threw a popcorn into his mouth, smirking, then laughing. But the joke quickly ended as Neo started choking.

     “Shit _gago_ sorry!” Salle with panicked eyes, frantically opened the water bottle cap and shoved it at Neo’s hand, Neo held it tight, but with his throat coughing for air, his body jerked and some of its content spilled. Salle resorted to holding the other man by the shoulder with one hand and the other to pat center of his shoulders. He murmurred apologies over and over, squeezing his eyes and immediately regretting his impulsiveness.

Though the noise of the arena never stopped, the surrounding audiences did take them suspiciously, as they seemed like rivals of each color, trying to get the best at each other.

Once the two had been resolved, Salle sits back down still with one hand caressing the other’s back, while Neo chugged down half of his bottle with tears stinging his eyes. He let out a huff and wiped his tears with the back of his hand. Salle, with his guilty expression, observed the other man whose eyes were shut tight and his lips in a pout, aggressively rubbing his eyes, he hesitantly reached for the other’s hand to try and wipe the tears with his own. Neo opened his hand to stop him.

     “Don’t touch me.” Neo said, just barely above a whisper.

Salle frowned at his comment and pulled his hand back. He gave Neo one last squeeze on the shoulder before he pulled his other hand off. Neo was suddenly aware of the loss of contact, of what he said, that wasn’t what he meant. He sighed and regained his composure, one hand griping at the bottle between his legs and the other resting atop its cap, he turned his head to Salle with an unamused look, but there was a slight pull at the end of his lips and the slightest light in his eyes which gave Salle the hint.

     As if Salle heard what he was thinking, the man’s arms were suddenly wrapped around Neo’s frame tightly, “Sorry _na_! Sorry _na_! Sorry _naaaa_!” Salle repeated in a high pitched voice.

Neo laughed aloud and leaned his head on one of Salle’s arms across his chest, wrapping around his shoulder. He felt warm and lighthearted despite the outcome of the other man’s stupidity, especially with his big frame enveloping him in this arena so publicly. Neo wrapped his own arm around Salle’s and pats him. “It’s fine.” He reassured him. Once Salle let go of him he adds, “You’re so stupid sometimes.”

     Salle laughed to himself and pressed a palm to his face, “I know, _tangina_ I’m sorry.”

By now they both had heat rising to their cheeks, flustered and giggling in this big, manly, basketball game like idiots.

The two finish their bubble of giggling and finally the players of both teams begin their warm-up. This seems to have silenced Salle while he starts on his carton of popcorn. Neo eyes him casually. He notices that Salle was wearing a green shirt this time underneath his green and white jersey, instead of his usual plain black shirt. His eyes traces from his slicked back hair, to his focused eyes, the bridge of his nose, to his lips, slightly parted… He lingers there for a while, then to the muscle of his throat exposed and the rest of its lines dipping under his shirt. Salle snaps his head to Neo and the latter blinks in surprise of his own loss of train of thoughts.

     “ _Sarap ba_ , Neo?” He says raising his eyebrows, flashing that big flirtatious smile.

     “ _Gago_ ,” Neo snickers, shaking his head as he looks away and tries to understand what was happening below for their money’s worth in the ticket they both. Though, just being there with the other man from the rivaling team was already worth it. Of course he’s watched basketball games, and actually understands some rules in the game, but what he doesn’t understand was the hype for all of it. It was all just a game.

     “ _’Di ko gets_.” Neo starts.

     “ _Ang alin?_ ”

     “ _Ito_.”

     “Have you never watched a basketball game?”

     “ _Hindi, bobo._ ” He says, another jab to Salle’s shoulder. “I meant the hype for all this.” He says with a wave of his hand to the court below. “I mean… It’s just game.”

     It was almost Salle’s turn to choke. Neo quickly offers him his half full bottle of water, but Salle only reacts further with an exasperated gasp, clutching his chest.

     “Just. A. GAME?!” His eyes were big and wild, aimed specifically at Neo. “IT IS A SPORT, THAT BRINGS COMMUNITIES TOGETHER!—”

_Brings us together._

     “ _NA NAGDADALA NG PANGALAN NG CAMPUS KO_ , _NG CAMPUS MO_. IT IS A COMPETITION _NA BAWAT PANALO IS_ SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. IT IS ABOUT BEING A TEAM _GAGO_ , WORKING WITH EACH OTHER TO BRING GLORY TO YOUR UNIVERSITY! IT IS AN ART—”

     “ _Uy grabe_ —” Neo cuts in as if to stop him there.

     “ _NA BAWAT_ PLAY _NILA, BAWAT_ SHOT _KAKAIBA_ , _NA PARANG_ IT PAINTS A DIFFERENT PICTURE IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF SPORTS—”

     “—that was actually quite poetic—”

     “IT’S NOT _JUST_ A GAME, NEO. _ANO BA_!” Salle finished at last, still carrying the same wide eyed expression.

     “Okay, Salle, it’s not just a game.” He says, giving in, but only for Salle’s delight. A beat later, adds, muttering, “But it still just is—”

     “— Oh shut up! You’re hopeless.”

     Neo had to laugh at Salle’s temper. Salle looks back at the court below.

     “ _Ay nako, alam ko namang kinoconsole mo lang yung_ feelings _mo, kasi_ you and your freaking birds will lose.” Salle spits out barely pissed.

     Neo’s laughter sounded louder, “I really don’t care.” He says, in between snickers, leaning into Salle’s shoulder while pressing a hand to his face, laughing.

     Salle nudges him off. “Fuck you _and_ your _light blue_ collared shirt.”

     “Later.” Neo momentarily composes himself.

They snap their heads to each other, looking the other dead in the eye. They held their eyes an intense silence for a few beats, Salle as if he was actually considering it, Neo seemingly weighing in how far he’ll reel in his bait, but before he furthers his teasing, Neo already breaks back into a fit of laughter while Salle snickers at him. As Neo continues to laugh, the players of both teams finish their warm up, and Salle was suddenly standing and aggressively chanting just like the crowd of DLSU. ADMU was not far off. With some thought, Neo would rather himself have enough school spirit to butt heads with the man next to him over this silly game, but, he would rather calmly sit down and amuse himself with his crowd of people cheering for their university, and more importantly, musing himself with the presence of a very alive Salle before his eyes.

~~~~~

The alarm was sounded that signified the _half-time_ of the game, as what Neo has gathered. And the current score as he discovered by asking Salle, of the eagles was 28 and the archers was 37. Not that it mattered to Neo, but it certainly maintained Salle’s high spirits and that was pleasing enough for him.

     “ _Tangina_ bro, _ang alat bang matalo_?” Salle mocks at Neo with his energetic stance and sudden fist punch in the air below, “boom!”

_Bro?_

     “I thought this was just the half time?” Neo plays along, playing the part of the uninterested date to the ball game. Neo had his arms outstretched at either side of him, leaning his weight on them along with his outstretched legs, one ankle rested above the other. They both seemed to complement each other with Salle’s frenzied stance and Neo’s relaxed demeanor.

     “ _Oo nga pero tangina kita mo ‘yang score na ‘yan?_ ” Salle aggressively points to the four sided LED board, “ _Ano? Tangina uwi ka na_ with your light blue collared shirt _pare_.”

_Pare?_

     “ _’Di pwede, ihahatid mo pa ‘ko._ ” He smirks at his bold statement, once again staring at Salle with a lingering look of amusement.

     “ _Ay tangina oo nga pala_. Haha!” Salle gives off a sounded laugh. As he does, from the side of the green and with the high-spirits from a 9 point gap, the sound of the bass drum floods the arena and now, not only Salle is standing. “D-L-S-U ANIMO LOZOOOOL!” Salle begins to shout, with the same motion of throwing his fist in the air. Neo remains sitting back with a calm smile, eyes trained only at the man next to him shouting for his alma mater. Despite how silly he thought things went with this whole event, he couldn’t deny that he was at awe to witness Salle like this. Maybe that was the only thing that mattered.

After the one round of the chant was done and a few elongated howls, Salle finally sits back down, giggling with the frenzy. “ _Saan nga pala tayo kakain mamaya?_ ” he asked with the greatest care and joy.

     “ _Libre mo?_ ”

     “ _SIYEMPRE PANALO KAMI EH!_ ”

~~~~~

_Natalo sila._

The game ended with the eagles’ score of 67 and the archer’s, 65. And never before has Neo seen a pissed off Salle, trying his best to hold it in. Despite Neo’s prior stand on the silliness of the hype, he too had been on his heels, cheering for the eagles as they made their way to victory. Neo was still jumping up and down when Salle reached for Neo’s messenger bag and slung its strap over his shoulder, before stalking up the bleachers audibly stating “Let’s go.” The greens weren’t even done singing their alma mater yet. Neo had shrugged and followed suit anyway, but all the frenzy of winning melted away just as how quickly it came.

Salle now with all his pissed off expression; his eyebrows knitted together, lips in a hard line and a clenched jaw was walking a few steps ahead of Neo with his fists buried in the pockets of his jersey as they walked outside the lined restaurants of the massive mall, making their way to the parking lot. Neo trying to gracefully catch up was staring only at Salle, with a certain amount of concern. After a few seconds without the scowl lifting from Salle’s face, Neo begins;

     “ _Ang yabang mo kasi._ ” He says innocently, with the slightest amusement.

     “ _Punyeta_! _Lumipad ka nga_.” Salle spites back without even turning back to him.     

     “Saaalle,” Neo tunes out his name this time, trying for a more soothing tone.

     “IT WAS TWO POINTS…” He turned, stopped, holding up to fingers. “TWO FUCKING. POINTS.”, he turned again, stalking away.

  Neo caught up to him again, quietly this time. He tried again, “There’s always a next year.”

     “ _Graduate na ‘ko next year!_ ” Salle huffed, still not letting off, though he did slow down to be at the same pace with Neo.

     “Oh so? You’re still green blooded even if you’ve graduated.”

This seemed to have done the trick. Salle sighed. He paused to look at Neo. The other man gave an innocent, nearly at the brink of laughter kind of smile. Salle felt his heart flutter, but only discreetly showed it by turning up the corner of his lip with the gaze they shared.

     “Has your temper gone down, Mr. Archer?” Neo says teasingly.

     “Yes, you cock.” Salle answers back, laughter on its way.

     “Oh you want it.”     

     Salle’s eyes roll at him.     

     “Ease up, Salle,” Neo says soothingly, reaching to rest his hand on Salle’s arm, “it’s just a—”

     “ _Oo na_.” the other cuts in. Salle takes in Neo’s attempt at being sweet, and it seemed it was working. Salle’s hard features soften as he gazes at the man clinging to his arm. Salle leaned in, nearly brushing his lips to the other’s ear. “I hate you.” Salle whispered, truth in his words evidently absent, and a giggle threatening to spill out his lips. He stops it by quickly closing his lips on Neo’s temple, placing a chaste kiss.

Neo’s breath hitches, and without his recovery from such a random public display that he rarely partakes in, which Salle respects, Salle steps ahead and slides his hand out from his pocket to lace his fingers through Neo’s and pulls at him.

 

     “ _So_ no more _libre?_ ”

     “Duh.”

     “ _So hahatid mo na ‘ko?_ ”

     Salle pauses to look at him once more, fully aware of their hands linked. “ _Mamaya na, traffic pa._ ”

 

But it wasn’t just a game anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my god, this is my first post, first fic ever. NEO SALLE SHIP UNITE.


End file.
